The CIC Hut, beside the Allt a' Mhuilinn. Photo: Bob Smith/grough

A charity is on the lookout for volunteers to spend three days based in a historic mountain hut while carrying out path repairs.

The base for the working party will be the CIC hut, more than 2,000ft up in the shadow of Britain’s highest mountain.

Volunteers on next month’s residential will work on the path between Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe and the Allt a’ Mhuilinn, beside which the hut stands. The route is regularly used by climbers returning to the burn after completing ascents on the North Face of Ben Nevis. The path is also a route from the Torlundy car park to the lochan, commonly known as the Half Way Lochan, and then on to the tourist track to the mountain’s summit.

The work will involve what the organisers the Nevis Landscape Partnership describe as ‘light-touch’ repairs to the well used path from Wednesday 26 to Friday 28 October.

A spokesperson for the partnership said: “Using the famous CIC Hut as your base you will join other hardy volunteers trekking in with your gear on Wednesday and spend the days helping with the pathwork and the evenings enjoying dinner and possible a wee dram in the hut.

Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe, or Halfway Lochan on Ben Nevis. Photo: Bob Smith/grough

“The CIC Hut has stood below Ben Nevis for over 80 years and given refuge to some of Scotland’s and the world’s most famous mountaineers. This is your chance to help the mountain they all loved, we all love and hopefully you love too.

“All tools and safety equipment will be provided. However volunteers must provide their own camping kit and food for their stay.

“Check out the CIC Hut website to look at the facilities available: a little more sophisticated than a bothy but it’s still pretty basic.”

Anyone interested in volunteering can sign up on the Nevis Landscape Partnership website.

The Charles Inglis Clark Hut was built by the parents of the man after whom it is named, who died during the First World War. It is owned by the Scottish Mountaineering Club and stands 680m up, under the cliffs of Ben Nevis’s North Face.

The Nevis Landscape Partnership was formed to manage the area around Ben Nevis and Glen Nevis, and works with Forestry Commission Scotland, the John Muir Trust, Highland Council and Scottish Natural Heritage. It has secured Heritage Lottery Fund cash for its work.